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Leinster challenge excites Charlie Ewels

Bath second-row Charlie Ewels admits his team needs to be more clinical when they take on Leinster in their Champions Cup clash on Saturday.

Todd Blackadder’s side come into the game on the back of a 7-7 draw with Sale Sharks in the Premiership, which was a match low on quality.

This week’s pool clash is against a side in excellent form and Ewels knows they must improve against the PRO14 and European heavyweights.

“It wasn’t good enough, that was a game that we targeted to win and we missed opportunities. We created chances to win the game, but in other areas we were poor. A draw is better than a loss, but that’s nowhere near where we want to be and where we should be,” he told Bath’s website regarding the Sale result.

“I think when you look back at games, it’s about finding ways to win however that may be. That’s where we have to get better as a squad – when we have those experiences we then learn from them the next time we are in that situation, we capitalise on it.”

On the prospect of facing a talented Leinster side, the 23-year-old added: “We’re hugely excited – when the fixtures first got announced at the start of the year, that was one that was highlighted. We want to test ourselves against the best in Europe and that’s where we want to go as a club.

“Some people may think our league position is quite false in terms of what we have delivered this year. However, as a playing group and as a management group, the ambition of this club is to be the best in Europe. The only way we are going to get there is by testing ourselves against the current best, so I’m really looking forward to it.”

He continued: “The set-piece is going to be massive as it is in every game, but even more so in Europe. It’s also just going to be about taking our opportunities and recognising that these European matches against the top sides become more and more like Test matches. You don’t get four or five opportunities in a game, you get one or two and you either take them or you don’t.”